


only hymns upon your lips

by cori_the_bloody



Category: Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Genre: All the Touching, F/F, One Shot Collection
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-10-10
Updated: 2016-10-10
Packaged: 2018-08-20 12:59:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,702
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8249975
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cori_the_bloody/pseuds/cori_the_bloody
Summary: a collection of one-shots written for a touch-based prompt meme and centered around everyone's favorite slayer girlfriends.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> **Word Count:** 445  
>  **Author's Note:** takes place sometime during season 3 and is mostly just a banter fest. written for hair - yearning.   
>  unbeta'd so please be kind.

“Faith, when you’re done sticking the pointy end of that stake through that vamp’s heart, I could,” punch, “use some,” punch, “help!”

As soon as one of the vampires she’s fighting is resetting his nose, Buffy’s able to do a roundhouse kick, knocking the other one to the ground.

“Comin’ as fast as I can, B,” Faith says back, agitation clear in her voice.

Buffy rolls her eyes and whips around to punch the first vamp in the face and then the stomach in fast succession. “Don’t lie to me,” she says, landing an uppercut with so much force, his mouth snaps shut. “I’ve seen you fight, like, a trillion other vamps.”

“What are you implying?” Faith asks with an impish smile as she kicks her vampire hard enough that it sails through the air for a couple yards.

“That you like to take your sweet time,” Buffy says, grunting as she does a flip kick and then stakes her second vamp clean through the heart. 

She turns around just in time to see Faith’s vampire turning to dust while she runs, full-tilt, toward Buffy and her remaining vamp.

“Faith,” Buffy starts to protest, but the rest of it’s lost as she’s tackled to the ground in a slayer-vamp-slayer sandwich.

As the vampire explodes between them, getting dust everywhere, Faith’s weight settles pleasantly over Buffy.

“You’re welcome,” Faith says, a stupidly attractive cocky grin on her face.

Buffy wants to berate her - especially for the whole dust in her mouth thing - but she’s suddenly distracted by the strand of hair that’s clinging to Faith’s glossy lipstick. Without thinking, she reaches up and uses a couple fingers to brush the hair behind Faith’s ear.

Faith’s lips part when Buffy touches her, her eyes darting down to Buffy’s mouth.

A warm tingle spreads through Buffy.

“We should, uh, we should get goin’. It’s been a busy night. We don’t wanna leave people to fend for themselves against the forces of darkness…right?” Faith asks like she’s hoping for a different answer than the one she knows Buffy’s gonna give.

Her eyes never leave Buffy’s lips.

Buffy clears her throat and gently rolls Faith off her. “Right,” she says, trying not to sound too disappointed.

They help each other to their feet and then brush each other off, sneaking shy glances.

After they walk a while in awkward tension, Faith says, “By the way, I take as much time as I need to give the vamps the ass-kickin’ they deserve.”

Buffy laughs and shakes her head, feeling their normal, bantery vibe shift back into place.

“Sure you do, Ms. One Slay Per Graveyard. Sure you do.”


	2. the chosen two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> what if faith had given buffy her own version of spike's "you're the one" speech? set during season 7.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **Word Count:** 1,258  
>  **Author's Note:** written for wrist - fear of losing someone.   
>  unbeta'd so please be kind.

“Thought I’d find you out here,” Faith says, stepping out onto the back porch.

Buffy grunts noncommittally and turns her head away as Faith sits down next to her. She’s really not in the mood for navigating the layers of hostility and subtext that permeate their every conversation.

“Hey now, _I_ tried to talk the twerps down,” Faith says defensively. “No need to give _me_ the cold shoulder.”

“I don’t want to talk about this,” Buffy says, pushing her bangs behind her ear.

“Too damn bad. Sunnydale’s currently playin’ host to the Biggest Damn Apocalypse, so we ain’t got time for bottled up feelings. Go on. Rage. Cry. I won’t judge.”

Buffy lets out a short, wry laugh. “Oh, that’s rich coming from you, the queen of bottled feelings.”

Faith sighs and pulls a pack of cigarettes from her jean jacket pocket. She doesn’t light one, just turns the carton over and over in her hands. “Lay off, B. I'm only tryin’ to help.”

“Yeah, well, my closest friends were ten seconds away from kicking me out of my own house earlier. Forgive me if I’m not feeling very warm and fuzzy at the moment.”

“That probably feels like shit, but I can’t know for sure. Ya see, I’ve never had friends, let alone close ones, so I don’t really have any experience to go on.”

Buffy glares at Faith. “Can we not play a round of Who Has More Reason to Pout right now?”

“Why? Cause you know I’ll win?”

Buffy’s nostrils flare. “I’m about five seconds away from conducting an experiment; wanna take bets on whether I can punch that smug grin right off your face?”

“Wouldn’t be the first time you’ve tried,” Faith says.

When Buffy cocks one unimpressed eyebrow, Faith jabs her in the side, smirking.

Finally, Buffy gives, shaking her head and smiling despite herself.

“Fine,” she says, tilting her head back to look at the starry sky. “No punching.”

“Well we shouldn’t take it off the table completely,” Faith says.

Buffy rolls her eyes.

“Now that I’ve done such a good job softening you up,” Faith says, tapping a cigarette out of her pack before pushing it back in with her pointer finger, “Let’s talk it out.”

“What is there to say?” Buffy asks with a hefty sigh. “The big evil is messing with everyone’s emotions, and arguing about who’ll lead us to our doom is only gonna get us killed faster.”

“Careful now. You’re startin’ to sound like someone who’s given up.”

“And why shouldn’t I?”

“Are you serious right now?” Faith asks, turning so she can squint critically at Buffy head-on.

She turns too, mirroring Faith, and shrugs. “I think I am.”

“Nuh-uh. You’re not allowed to give up.”

Buffy purses her lips and casts her gaze toward the ground.

“C’mon! You’re Buffy fuckin’ Summers!” Faith shouts at her, a touch of desperation in her voice.

With a frown, Buffy pulls her jacket tight across her chest. “What does that even mean?”

“It means…fuck. Are you really gonna make me spell this out, B?”

“I’m not _making_ you do anything. _You’re_ the one who tracked _me_ down, remember?”

“Yeah, well…” Faith trails off, frowning at her hands. After a second, she says softly, “I’m not very good at this. Comforting people. Using my words.”

“It’s fine,” Buffy mumbles back. “I don’t need the pep talk. It wouldn’t make a difference anyway. You and I both know the score. We’re the chosen two, remember?”

“Fuck, okay,” Faith says, shaking her head and shoving the pack of cigarettes back in her pocket. She leans forward, resting her elbows on her knees, and holds her hands out in front of her with her palms turned up toward the night sky.

For a second, Buffy’s not sure if Faith expects her to take them in her own.

“We may be the chosen two,” Faith starts, gesticulating between them, “but it’s always been you, B. You’re the legend. You’re the shining light in the fight against evil. Fuckin’, that sounded cheesy as shit, but that doesn’t make it any less true.”

“Yeah, I’m totally sure you, of all people, believe that,” Buffy says softly, scoffing. She can’t meet Faith’s intense gaze. “You can’t stand me, remember?”

“Christ, B, is that really what you think?”

Buffy’s eyes flicker up to Faith’s face, and she’s surprised to find so much genuine hurt in her expression. 

“I… well….” She falters.

Faith nods, somehow managing to make the gesture look self-deprecating. “Yeah, alright. Like I said, not that great with the whole words thing. But honestly. You never got that you were my hero?”

“Wait, what?”

“I worshipped the ground you walked on, B.”

“Was that before or after you took my body for a spin around the block?”

Blood pools in Faith’s cheeks and she looks down at her hands, clearing her throat. “Before, mostly.”

“Ah, okay, so this was right between your first and second attempts to murder my boyfriend.”

“Look, I’m not sayin’ I expressed it particularly well,” Faith says, frowning at her lap. After a beat, she looks up and catches Buffy’s stare. “But that doesn’t mean it wasn’t there. Underneath all that rage and resentment, I admired you.”

“Why are you telling me this?” Buffy asks, whispering.

“Because,” Faith starts and then pauses. Her fingers twitch and she looks uncertain of herself for a moment before she reaches forward to grip Buffy’s hands. Her cold fingers dig into Buffy’s palms and her thumbs brush lightly along the length of Buffy’s wrists.

Buffy draws in a sharp breath, surprised, but doesn’t look or pull away.

When Faith starts again, there’s a renewed strength to her voice. “Because, I dunno, maybe it makes a difference, understanding your past better. But mostly because I wanted you to know. Y’know, that I believe in you. That I’m ready to back you up, no questions asked. I’m not gonna lie to you and say that if we just try hard enough, everything’ll be okay in the end. We’ve both lived through enough to know that’s bullshit. But you’ve faced a fuckin’ god before, B. We’ve got a helluva fight ahead of us, but if I had money to waste on bets…we’ll let’s just say your odds don’t look half as bad as you think they do.”

Buffy laughs and a few tears stream down her cheeks. She gives Faith’s hands a squeeze.

“Thank you,” she mouths.

Faith’s eyes soften till her gaze is achingly tender. She opens her mouth to say something else, and Buffy leans in, expectant.

“Andrew and Spike are back,” Vi says, barely poking her head out from the kitchen door. There’s a nervous quaver to her voice that makes Buffy sigh.

“Great,” Faith says, her voice dripping with forced enthusiasm. “Maybe they have something useful to report.” She drops Buffy’s hands and shoves herself up from the porch. “Let’s get those Scoobies assembled, huh?”

“Faith, wait,” Buffy says, catching her by the wrist before she can dart away. “Give us a second, okay Vi?”

Violet nods and closes the door.

“What’s up, B?” Faith asks, clearly trying to sound casual and unaffected. She even goes so far as to punch Buffy playfully in the arm.

Instead of answering, Buffy leans in and gives her a peck on the cheek.

When she pulls away, there’s a dopey grin on Faith’s face. She nods and licks her lips, reaching for Buffy’s hand again.

“You’re welcome,” she says as they walk, hand in hand, into the kitchen.


End file.
